Wabanaki Water Convergence ceremony – Kairos

by aanationtalk onMay 31, 20132681 Views

May 28, 2013 by Rachel Warden

This weekend, I had the opportunity to travel to Fredericton, New Brunswick to participate in the Wabanaki Water Convergence ceremony, which took place where the waters of the St John’s River (WOLASTOQ) converge with the tide’s end. The importance of this point in the river is beautifully described in the invitation to the ceremony:

WOLASTOQ (the beautiful river) IS THE LIFE GIVER for all living things within Wolastoqiyik Territory. She is the main artery that carries the blood of the Earth in a never ending cycle for moment to moment, day to day, season to season; since time immemorial. “Water” Every drop of water that touches the land from the headwaters of every tributary, running rapidly into the Wolastoq, making its way out to sea. Then it turns and comes back up the Wolastoq, and converges at EkPahak; ‘the end of the tide’.

It was a powerful ceremony, representing the convergence of so many elements and natural events – water from the river, ocean and sky (it rained continuously all weekend), the high tide and a full moon (in fact it was a super moon because the moon was the closest it would be to the earth all year). There was also the convergence of many people and their stories from the Wabanaki and other nations as well as from their allies. As Alma Brooks, a Wabanaki elder and lead organizer said, “The ceremony had to take place that weekend. There was no other time when all those elements would converge.” It was also a healing ceremony, not only for the lands and water of the Eastern Gateway, but for all of North America. According to Wabanaki teachings: